Material distributor and spreader



May 10, 1938. F. E. ARNDT MATERIAL DISTRIBUTOR AND SPREADER Filed May 28, 193'?- 5 Sheets-Sheet l f/vmwro/a' FEANKUN E. AENDT, BY w, 771% May 10, 1938. F. E. ARNDT MATERIAL DISTRIBUTOR AND SPREADER Filed May 28, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J/VI/E/VTOE. FRANKLIN E. ABNDT.

May 10, 1938. F. E. ARN'DT MATERIAL DISTRIBUTOR AND SPREADER Filed May 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'f/vvfA/roe: FRANKLIN E. AENDT.

BYG6L-"- ATT'Y Patented May 10, 1938 PATENT OFFICE MATERIAL DISTRIBUTOR AND SPREADER Franklin E. Arndt, Gallon, Ohio, assignor to The Galion Iron Works & Manufacturing Company,

a corporation of Ohio Application May 28, 1937, Serial No. 145,336

Claims.

This invention relates to road building machines adapted to distribute and level road material such as broken stone, gravel, or broken or finely divided materials on roadways, and is .a continuation in part of each of my co-pending applications, Serial No. 556,340, filed August 11, 1931 for an Improvement in material distributors and spreaders, and Serial No. 679,019, filed July 5, 1933, for an Improvement in material distribu- :tors and Spreaders.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of improved and eificient apparatus for hitching to a self-propelled dumping truck a road material spreader comprising a hopper having an open top and an open bottom and mounted on framework rendered self-supporting by road-engaging runners.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved and efficient hitching appa- 1 ratus for connecting to a towing vehicle a road material spreader having an offset open bottom f or movement along a path at one side of the roadway and to firmly hold the forward upper edge of the spreader against the rear end of l the frame of the towing vehicle to prevent swerving of the spreader while material is being discharged from said offset open bottom.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved hitching mechanism for connecting at adjusted elevation a road material spreader to a hauling vehicle in such a manner as to maintain the spreader well balanced while operating along the roadway.

Another object of the invention is the provision of hitching mechanism for connecting to a towing vehicle a road material spreader, comprising draft elements connected to the spreader at various points to distribute the towing pulling strains thereon while maintaining the spreader in predetermined relation to the towing vehicle during operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision on the front side of a road material spreader of means for enabling draft elements to be connected to a towing vehicle and drawn (taut for maintaining the spreader in predetermined relation to the towing vehicle during operation of the spreader.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a road material distributing and spreading machine with hitching mechanism mounted on the front side thereof and adapted to be connected to a towing vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a frontview of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the dotted lines indicating the positions of the rear wheels of a towing vehicle rel- 5 ative to the spreader when the latter is connected to the towing vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the spreader shown in Fig. 1, with modified hitching mechanism connected thereto;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of one end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the position of the self-propelled dumping truck for emptying road material into the spreader, and showing the spreader in coupling relation with the truck so that the front upper edge of the spreader will be held firmly against the rear end of the truck frame;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the right-hand end of Fig. 1, with the flexible draft chains removed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view to illustrate another modification for connecting the towingchains or flexible draft elements to the front side of the hopper of a road material spreader; 25

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 to illustrate a modification of themechanism. for connecting the rear ends of the draft chains to the spreader at adjusted elevations; and

Fig. 8 is a view of that end of the spreader opposite to that shown in Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a hopper I!) of metal plates and reinforcing angle irons is shown supported on framework comprising the supports 52, 52 and diagonal braces 53, 53. This framework in turn is normally carried on spaced-apart rollers 54, 54, arranged in two series of three each between two pairs of ground-engaging runners 55, 55, which are adapt-- ed to extend longitudinally of the roadway and to project substantial distances forwardly and rearwardly of the hopper to render the hopper self-supporting on the roadway both when connected to a hauling vehicle and when disconnected therefrom.

The hopper H) has a front wall 56 which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly. The rear wall 51 is inclined downwardly and forwardly. In the form shown in Fig. 1 the front and rear walls are symmetrical with each other. At one end of the hopper I 0, a vertical wall 58 extends longitudinally of the roadway between the walls 56 and 51.

Connecting the lower edges of the walls 56, 51, and 58 is a closed bottom wall 59, which inclines downwardly from the vertical wall 58 to the edge 5!! of the offset bottom opening El of the hopper Ni at that end thereof opposite the vertical wall 58, said edge ESQ being located closely adjacent to the hard surface 62 of the roadway, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower portion E3 of the bottom wall 53 slopes at a greater angle than the upper portion 84.

As shown in Fig. 5, the front edge of the open bottom is located at 65, from which edge a plate 66 extends forwardly and downwardly. When material fills the hopper it may spread forwardly through the offset open bottom thereof under the edge 65 and the extension plate 66.

It should be particularly understood that the spreader comprising the hopper is adapted to be hauled by and behind a self-propelled dumping truck or other hauling vehicle to which the spreader is detachably connected. For this purpose the hitching mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, is provided, including a pair of chains 6?, 6! the forward free ends of which are adapted to be connected to the frame of the truck, and the rear ends to an elongated drawbar 9| connected to the front side of the spreader at adjusted elevation. Inasmuch as the spreader has an offset open bottom tending to swerve the hopper away from its operating position at right angles to the roadway, I will first describe the mechanism for controlling the spreading of the material from the open bottom so that this swerving tendency will be fully understood.

A road material spreader having an offset open bottom is particularly useful in connection with the widening of previously built or old roadways having hard surfaces, such as those having crushed stone foundations and finished on top with asphalt. At the edge of the hard-surfaced portion 62 of the roadway a trench 58 may be dug longitudinally and filled with crushed stone as shown in Fig. 2, by means of the spreader shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, 7 and 8; Fig. 6 illustrating a type of spreader for delivering material to a roadway entirely across the same.

The various forms of hitching mechanisms shown in the accompanying drawings are adapted to connect a road material spreader to a dumping truck by means of the hitching mechanisms shown, so that at all times the wheels of the truck and the wheels or runners of the spreader will remain on the hard surface of the previously built roadway. As shown by the dotted lines 69, 69 in Fig. 2, the wheels of the truck may occupy positions on the roadway 52 approximately the same as the paths of the wheels or rollers 5 t and the runners or traction shoes 55. In other words, during operation of the spreader, the runners approximately track the wheels of the hauling vehicle.

While the crushed stone container or box 30 of the dumping truck is in the position shown in Fig. 4, and the rear gate 3! thereof is in open position, the truck wheels may be supported on the hard-surfaced roadway 62. Since the open bottom Si in its laterally offset position will effect delivery of the material to the trench 63 which extends longitudinally of the roadway, as shown in Fig. 2, greater resistance will be encountered by the trench end of the spreader than at the opposite end, and it is therefore desirable that the hitching mechanism will nevertheless hold the hopper in its operating position at right angles to the roadway.

In order to prevent crushed stone from rolling onto the hard surface of the roadway, a forwardly extending guard or cut-off plate 12 is provided, as shown in Fig. 5 in full lines and in Fig. 1 in dotted lines. The lower edge 13 of the guard plate i2 is in longitudinal alinement with the inner edge 60 of the open bottomf Whatever stone tends to roll under the hopper forwardly of the edge fill of the discharge opening 6|, will be deflected by the guard plate 12 into the trench 68 and consequently there will be no interference with the smooth travel of the spreader along the roadway 62. That is to say, notwithstanding the elevation of the forward lower edge 65 of the open bottom, material discharged forwardly under such edge 65 will be prevented by the guard plate 72 from moving onto such hard surface and therefore no discharged material will interfere with the front roller 54, located near the open bottom of the hopper.

The lower edge HI of the end wall 58 constitutes the outer edge of the open bottom and is elevated relative to the inner edge 60 of the open bottom, as shown in Fig. 2. Such outer edge in of the open bottom permits the stone to spread freely to the outermost limits of the trench 68 as shown at H.

In order to regulate the depth of crushed stone laid down in the trench, a strike-off plate 14 is provided rearwardly of the open bottom. Wing end plates 15 are pivoted at 75' to the rearwardly exending vertical supporting plates 16 and H which are rigidly secured to the hopper ll].

Standards l8, 78 are mounted on the horizontal plate 79 which extends in a horizontal plane rearwardly from the rear edge 80 of the open bottom, which rear edge is at the lower end of that portion of the wall 51 immediately above the open bottom. To the upper ends of the standards '18 is pivoted at 8! a tubular bearing 82 for the screw rod 83. Crank arms 84 are connected to the rod 83 to manually rotate the latter so as to advance or retract the screw rod 83 through the tubular nut 85. The latter is pivoted at 86 to the brackets 87 secured to the rear side of the strikeoif plate 14. By turning the crank arms 84, the elevation of the strike-off plate 74 may be adjusted and consequently the crushed stone emerging from the open bottom of the hopper may be stroked to secure the filling of the trench E8 to a predetermined depth.

By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the outer supporting plate H has its lower edge 10 located at a predetermined spaced distance above the horizontal plane extending through the surface on Which the rollers 54 travel, while the inner supporting bracket plate 16 is extended down into proximity to such surface so as to act as a guard plate to prevent crushed stone from spreading onto the hard surface of the roadway. In other words, by providing the plate 76 at the inner edge of the trench 58 approximately in the plane of the cut-off plate 12, with the lower edge 88 in alinement with the inner edge 60 of the open bottom of the hopper, a vertical wall is formed for the inner end of the strike-off plate 7 5. Furthermore, the lower edge 73 of the forward guard plate 72 is also in alinement with the edge 60. The three lower edges 88, 60, and 73 co-operate to out off both forwardly and rearwardly of the open bottom as well as under the same, the spreading of material onto the hard surface of the roadway.

As an assurance that the wheels and runners will have free paths of travel, the forward wheels 54 of each series are enclosed in V-shaped guards 89, 89. From the foregoing it can readily be seen that it is the action of the strike-off; plate-14:

is received by the closedbottom I8falong which the material slidesto the dischargeopening 6!, where it mayspreadoutwardly. under the edge 10 to fill a trench beyond, as shown at "H in;Fig. 2.

The stone also spreads forwardly under the edge and the plate BB but is prevented by the cutofi plate 12 from spreading onto the hard surface 62 of the roadway where the stone might interferewith the rollers 54*or the runners 55- near the open bottom. The stone also spreads 'rearwardly under the plate 19 into theconfined space bounded on the inner side by the guard plate 116, on the outer side by the plate 11 and at the rear by thestrike-ofi" plate 14. The lower edge 88 of the plate 16 is close to the hard surface of. the roadway and therefore prevents spreading of the stone onto thelatter.

The flaring of the interior of the hopper is preferably so proportioned with respect to the position of the runners 55, that the machine is always well balanced. That is to say, sufficient weight is maintained during operation, on the rollers shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 2, to keep the shallow end of the spreader at all times on the roadway. Tendency of the hopper to tilt toward'the trench is therefore obviated. The runners 55 are sufliciently elongated to extend substantially under thefront and rear walls of the hopperto enable the rollers54 to be positioned so as to maintain the hopper at all times in stable equilibrium against forward or rearward tilting.

It should also .be noted that while Figs. 1 and 2 in the accompanying drawings'show a righthand trench filler, thelatter may be left-handed, I and in some cases such left-handed trench filler may be preferable since it enables the driver of the truck to better assist in moving the truck and trench filler more accurately along" the road edge of the trench. It is preferred thatthe hitch- .ing mechanism shown in Fig. 1 should have the same arrangement relativeto the open bottom as that shownin Fig. 1 when the spreader is a left-handed trench filler.

While mention has been made of crushed stone for filling a trench dug along the side of an old widening of the hard surfaced roadway. It will also be evident that brick, concrete orother previously built roads may be widened by spreading road building material onto the shoulders or into trenches dug along one side or the other or on both sides, and concrete pouredfrom the truck into the mixer or hopper l0 while the latter is being hauledalong the inner edged the shoulder or the inner edge of the trench, with; the open bottom 6| in the position shown in As the truckmoves along while dragging the road material spreader by means of the hitching mechanism shown in Fig. 1, it is preferred that the upper front edge of the hopper be held tightly against the rear end of the frame 90 of the truck; asshown in Figs. 4 and 7. This may be done by means of the hitching mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, or by means of the modification shown in Figs..3, 6, 7, and 8.

In Figs. 1 and 2 an elongated drawbar 9|, T- shaped in crossssection, extends along the front side of the spreader intermediate the top and bottom thereof and therefore substantially above the bottom and substantially below the top. To the rear side or vertical flanges of the T-shaped drawbar 9| are secured, preferably by welding,

therspaced-apart clevises 92 which are adapted to be boltedthrough any one of a vertical series of perforations 93 to spaced-apart bracket plates 94-secured to the front side of the hopper Ill,

preferably bywelding. The perforations 93 enable. a vertical adjustment of the drawbar 9! to.

be made;

Secured to the. ends of the drawbar 9| are. bracket plates 95 each having a vertical notch. 96*therein; as shown in Fig. 5, to receive a. vertical link .91 as shown in Fig. 1, while preventing a horizontal link. 98 from moving relatively to the drawbar.

The T-shaped drawbar 9l-comprises a horizontal flange 99 having a plurality of series of holes. I00; I60 extending therethrough. Bolted to the horizontal flange 99 by means of the perforations I00 are spaced-apart clevises l0], lfll, each carrying a ring I02 through which one of the chains 61 may pass. thus be' positioned as desired along the drawbar 9|, thus distributing the force of the pull of the truck between the clevises ml and the endbracket plates 95. It should be particularly noted that the free ends of the chains 6'! may.

firstibe connected to the truck and then passed through therings I02 and drawn taut while the front outer edgeof the hopper, as shown at 193 in Fig. 4, contacts the rear end of the truck frame 90. chains-61 are thus drawn taut, the available link 9'! may be inserted in the notch 96 of the bracket plate 95 to effect firm holding of the upper forward edgeof the hopper against the rear end-of the truck frame. While the contact between the rearend of the truck frame and the upper forward edge of the hopper constitutes a fulcrum for limited tilting movement of the spreader when the runners travel over irregularities in the roadway, swerving of the hopper from its position at right angles to the roadway will be effectively prevented during operation of the strike-off. plate 14 in its offset position at one side of the roadway. It should also be understood that the drawbar 9| may be connected at adjusted. elevation to the bracket plates 94 so as to co-operate with the runners and such fulcrum. to maintain a balanced relation between the=towing pulls and the weight of the spreader and its load. The links 98 are at rightangles to the links 91 and abut against the outside surfaces of the bracket plates 95 as shown in Fig. 1.

In theform shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the chains 61 maybe connected at their rear ends to clevises 22 held in position by bolts extending through selected holes in the inclined perforated plates 23 which are mountedon spaced-apart inclined.

braces] on theforward portion of the support- The rings lll2may It will thus be seen that after the ing framework below the front side of the hopper so that such perforations will be located substantially above the surface of the roadway and substantially below the open top of the hopper I.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 a drawbar 9| is connected to the front side of the hopper III by means of the brackets 94, vertical perforated plates and clevises 92 in the same manner as iilustrated in Fig. 4. The towing chains 61" are connected by means of the clev'ises 22', 22' as shown in Fig. 3, to selected holes I94, I 94 in the horizontal flange 99 in the T-shaped drawbar 9|. The extra series of holes I at the righthand end of the drawbar 9!, as viewed in Fig. 3, may be used for the attachment of a third chain if desired. The form of hitching mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5 is preferred over the forms shown in Figs. 3, 7, and 8, not only because the strains exerted by the chains on the spreader are distributed in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, but also because in the forms shown in these views the chains may first be connected to the truck and then drawn taut so as to hold the Iupper front edge of the hopper against the rear end of the frame of the truck before the links 91 1 are inserted in the notches 96 of the end bracket plates 95. In the forms shown in Figs. 3, 7, and 8 it is more difficult to connect the chains to 11? the truck so that they will be taut for holding the upper forward edge 22 of the hopper against the rear end of the frame 90 of the truck during operation of the spreader while being towed by the truck.

As above explained it is highly desirable to secure the upper forward edge of the hopper tightly against the rear end of the truck frame so that the tendency of the hopper to sway or swerve laterally as it is pulled along the roadway, is overcome. Furthermore, the contact points between the forward upper edge of the hopper and the truck frame may serve as pivot points or fulcrums to permit limited tilting of the hopper as the road-engaging runners move over irregularities in the hard-surfaced roadway. I have therefore shown this feature of my invention in Fig. 6 applied to a spreader comprising a hopper having an open top and an open bottom for spreading material over a wide area transversely of the roadway rearwardly of the elongated road engaging runners I06, I06. An upright plate Illl is rigidly connected to the front side of the hopper intermediate the lateral ends thereof. Secured to the ends of this plate I91 intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof are two loops or rings I 98, I08 for receiving the hauling chains in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. Notched bracket plates I99, I99 are secured to the lateral ends of the front side of the hopper for receiving links of the hauling chains, the

notched plates I99 corresponding to the notched plates 95 of Fig. 1. After the hauling chains are connected to the truck they may be passed through the loops I98 and after being drawn taut so as to hold the upper front edge I I0 against the rear end of the frame of the truck, certain links of the chain may be inserted in the notches of the plates I99 so as to hold the said upper front edge H0 firmly against the rear end of the truck frame during operation of the spreader. By means of the double arm levers III, III and mechanism connected thereto, the rear strike-off plate H2 extending between the lateral ends of the hopper may be adjusted in elevation.

For the purpose of connecting an additional chain to the truck, a plate I I3 may be connected at its ends to the runners I06, as shown in Fig. 6. At spaced-apart-points on the plate H3 are mounted notched plates H4 and H5 so that the third chain may have a certain link thereof connected either to the notch in the plate H4 or to the notch in the plate H5.

In all of the forms of spreaders illustrated in the accompanying drawings the spaced-apart runners are sufficiently elongated and so connected to the framework supporting the hopper as to render the spreader self-supporting on the roadwayv and therefore most efficiently co-operate with the hitching mechanism to hold the hopper in such relation to the dumping truck as to prevent swerving of the spreader from its right angle position relative to the roadway. This is true even when the rollers shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5 travel on the hard surface of the roadway, because the rollers are distributed as shown in Fig. 1 so as to be located under the front and rear edges of the hopper as well as centrally thereof. When the surface of the roadway is relatively soft the rollers sink in and then the hopper is supported by both the rollers and the runners but mainly by the latter. The rollers, by reducing friction, materially reduce the power required to pull the machine along the roadway when acting to support the hopper. As above explained, forward and rearward tilting of the hopper relative to the supporting surface is prevented by the extension of the runners forwardly and rearwardly of the hopper sufficiently to produce stable equilibrium.

In the form shown in Fig. 5 a plate I I6 may be connected by means of the bolts III and perforations I I8 at adjusted elevation relative to the outer edge III of the lower bottom, thereby changing the effective outer edge of the lower bottom to the lower edge H9 of the plate H6. In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8 such plate H6 of Fig. 5 is omitted.

In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8 the spacedapart runners 9 are not provided with any rollers and have extensions 33 at their forward ends, the lower surfaces of which are upwardly and forwardly inclined so as to facilitate movement of the spreader along the roadway and relieve the hauling chain 61' of undue strain. The hopper I 0 is mounted on the runners 9 by means of the diagonal brace rods 1, 1, two of the forward ones of which may carry the perforated plates 23. Preferably the perforated plates 23 are welded to the forwardly and downwardly inclined brace rods 1 or if desired the perforations may be located in these brace rods.

In Fig. '7 the forward downwardly inclined brace rod 1 is connected between the runner 9 and a plate I20 which may be welded to the bottom I3 of the hopper which bottom extends from the vertical wall I2 of the hopper downwardly to the offset open bottom. Near the offset open bottom the downwardly inclined brace rod I on which the perforated plate 23 is mounted, may be connected between the runner 9 and the metal strip I2I which is welded to the front side of the hopper.

In the rear wall II of the hopper is located a rear discharge opening of the open bottom between vertical rearward extending spaced-apart plates 39 and 39'. The lower edge of the outer plate 39 is in alinement with the outer lower edge 34 of the open bottom. The inner edge 60' of the open bottom is in alinement with the lower edge 88' of the plate 39'. Extending forwardly from the lowerfront side of the hopper is a 1 ing along the lower edge thereof.

guard plate 32 the lower edge I3 of which is in alinement with the inner edge 6!! of the open bottom.

The strike-oif plate 36 as shown in Fig. 8 is provided with a reinforcing angle iron 40 extend- 31 connected to the ends of the strike-off plate 36 are pivoted at IE to the spaced-apart vertical plates 39, 39'.

It should. be understood that the outer vertical plate 39 is secured preferably by welding to the end wall plate I9 of the hopper, and that the plates I8 and I9 are in continuation of each other above the outer lower edge 34 of the open bottom.

A horizontal plate M extends rearwardly from the rear wall II of the hopper and between. the vertical plates 39 and 39. Mounted on the plate 4| is a standard 42 which is secured intermediate its ends by means of a plate to the upper edge of the rear hopper wall I I. Pivoted at 43 at the upper end of the standard 42 is a swivel bearing 44 for the rod 45 which is screw-threaded at its lower end intothe nut 41, the lower end of which is pivoted at 48 to the bracket secured to the upper portion of the strike-off plate 36. By turning the double arm lever 46 the elevation of the lower edge of the strike-off plate 36 may be adjusted. As above explained, the action of the strike-off plate rearwardly of the oifset open bottom tends to swerve the spreader from its right angle position relative to the roadway, but such tendency is resisted by the hitching mechanism which holds the upper forward edge 24 of the hopper firmly against the rear end of the truck frame MI, as shown in Fig. 7.

In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8 the hitching mechanism may be connected to the spreader at adjusted elevation by means of the inclined perforated plates 23, and in the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the hitching mechanism may be connected to the spreader at adjusted elevation by means of the vertical series of perforations 9-3 at the forward end of the bracket plates 94. In the form shown in Fig. 6 vertical series of perforations I23 are provided in the front vertical strips of the loop-shaped brackets I24, I24. The loops or rings I08, I08 may be provided with supporting plates I25, I25 each of which has a pair of perforations so that such supporting plates I25 may be bolted to the brackets I24 by means of selected perforations I23.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Hitching mechanism for a road material spreader, comprising an elongated drawbar, a plurality of draft elements, means for connecting said draft elements to said drawbar at spaced apart points thereon, and spacedapart mechanisms connected to said drawbar at spaced-apart points thereon for connection to said draft elements intermediate the ends of the latter.

2. I-Iitching mechanism for a road material spreader, comprising an elongated drawbar, a pair of draft elements, means at the ends of said drawbar for connecting the end portions of said draft elements to the ends of said drawbar, and

Wing plates spaced-apart devices connected to said drawbar between the ends thereof and adapted to be connected to said draft elements so that the pulls on the drawbar by said draft elements will be distributed between the ends of the drawbar and the points where said devices are connected thereto.

3. Hitching mechanism for a road material spreader, comprising an elongated drawbar, means affording notches for the ends of said drawbar, draft chains each; adapted to have a link extend into one of said notches, and spacedapart devices connected to said drawbar between the ends thereof and adapted to be connected to said chains intermediate the ends of theilatter so that the draft on said chains will be extended to the ends of the drawbar approximately longitudinally of the drawbar between said devices and the ends of the drawbar.

4. Hitching apparatus for connecting a road material spreader to a towing truck, comprising an elongated drawbar, a pair of flexible draft elements connected to the ends of said drawbar, and a pair of devices connected to said drawbar at spaced-apart points intermediate the ends thereof and having loops through which said draft elements extend freely to secure pulls longitudinally of the drawbar on those portions of the draft elements extending from the ends of the drawbar to said loops. I

5. The combination of a spreader comprising a hopper having an open top and an offset open bottom mounted on a frame having elongated runners for rendering the frame and hopper self- U supporting on a roadway, and haulage connec tions for connecting the spreader to a dumping truck in such position relative thereto as to maintain travel of the runners along the hard surface of the roadway with the said open bottom maintained in position to travel along one side of the roadway.

6. The combination with a spreader comprising a hopper with an open top and an offset open bottom supported on a frame having self-supporting road-engaging mechanism, of spacedapart means for connecting a towing vehicle to said frame at adjusted elevations with the upper forward edge of the hopper in engagement with the rear end of the frame of such towing vehicle, and adjustable strike-off mechanism rearwardly of said open bottom, said spaced-apart connecting means serving to resist the tendency of said strike-off mechanism to swerve the adjacent end of the hopper away from the said vehicle frame.

'7. Hitching mechanism for connecting a road material spreader to a towing vehicle, comprising an elongated drawbar, means adapted to connect such drawbar to the front side of the spreader, rings connected to said drawbar in spacedapart relation and spaced from the ends of the drawbar, and notched plates secured to the ends of said drawbar and adapted to receive links of haulage chains extending through said rings.

8. Hitching mechanism for connecting a road material spreader to a hauling vehicle, comprising an elongated drawbar T-shaped in cross-section, a pair of draft elements adapted to be connected to such hauling vehicle, means for connecting the rear ends of said draft elements to the horizontal flange of said drawbar, and spaced-apart mechanism connected to the vertical flanges of said drawbar for connecting the latter at will to the front side of the spreader at adjusted elevation.

9. Hitching mechanism for connecting a road material spreader to a hauling vehicle, comprising an elongated drawbar T-shaped in crosssection and having a central flange, spaced-apart clevises secured to the back of said drawbar, means comprising perforated plates for connecting said clevises to the front side of the spreader with the drawbar at adjusted elevation, and flexible draft devices for connecting the central flange of the drawbar to such towing vehicle.

10. The combination with a road material spreader, of spaced-apart loops, means for con necting said loops at adjusted elevation to the front side of the spreader spaced inwardly from the lateral ends thereof, notched plates spaced laterally from said loops, and draft chains adapted to pass through said loops and have certain links inserted in the notches of said plates.

11. The combination with a spreader comprising a hopper having an open top and an open bottom and framework for supporting the hopper with its open top and open bottom in predetermined positions relative to the surface along which the spreader is adapted to travel, and adjustable haulage connections adapted to extend horizontally to the said framework substantially above the bottom of the spreader so as to be adapted to be attached to a dumping truck to hold the forward edge of said open top in engagement against the rear end of the truck frame to maintain delivery communication between the truck and said open top while said truck is hauling the spreader behind the same, and to secure the hopper against tendency to swerve as the spreader is moved along a roadway.

12. The combination with a spreader comprising a hopper and framework for supporting the same, of spaced-apart perforated plates secured to the front side of said spreader in fixed relation thereto and substantially above the bottom thereof, an elongated drawbar adjustably connected at adjusted elevation to said perforated plates, and flexible draft elements adapted to connect said drawbar to a towing Vehicle to hold the forward upper edge of the hopper in engagement with the rear end of the frame of the towing vehicle.

13. Hitching mechanism for connecting a road material spreader to a hauling vehicle, comprising an elongated drawbar, spaced-apart devices adapted to connect said drawbar to the front side of such spreader at adjusted elevation and substantially above the bottom thereof to extend transversely of the roadway when the spreader is in operation, and spaced-apart clevises connected to said drawbar and adapted to be connected by means of draft elements to such hauling vehicle with the upper front edge of the spreader held against the rear end of the frame of such vehicle substantially above said drawbar.

14. The combination with a road building spreader, of a pair of flexible draft elements adapted to be connected to a hauling vehicle, spaced-apart devices on the front side of the spreader intermediate the ends thereof for receiving said flexible draft elements intermediate the ends of the latter, and additional devices spaced laterally from said first named devices and adapted to have end portions of said flexible draft elements connected thereto to effect distribution of the pulls exerted by said flexible draft elements on the front side of said spreader.

15. Mechanism for connecting a road material spreader to a hauling vehicle, comprising the combination with an elongated drawbar, of spaced-apart draft elements adapted to extend from the advancing side of the spreader to such hauling vehicle, spaced-apart devices intermediate the ends of said drawbar for connection to said draft elements intermediate the ends of the latter, and additional devices on said drawbar spaced laterally from said first-named devices and adapted to have end portions of said draft elements connected thereto to effect distribution of the pulls exerted by the draft elements on said drawbar during operation of the spreader.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

